一位青少年写给妈妈的一封发自肺腑的信
黄敏-2432 03/14 85184.0/1
分享一位15岁男孩子写给妈妈的一封发自肺腑的信。希望通过这封信,能帮助我们更多的了解孩子的内心世界,从而与孩子进行更有效的沟通。
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一位妈妈Meggie的分享:我有一个非常体贴关心的儿子,过去两年里我有一个非常叛逆的女儿。我一直不能接受这件事情,抱怨上天的安排,为什么要让我受这样的磨难。后来在很长的时间里,陪着孩子看心理医生,自己也反省,慢慢修复亲子关系。有一天女儿说,对啊,我为什么要跟你交流?反正你永远不满意,我为什么要先询问你的意见?反正永远都是 No。我才我惊觉原来我缺乏鼓励缺乏赞同。更大的感触是有一次我对儿子的一次考试成绩不满意,当时我觉得疲于应付女儿,整个人都垮掉一样,所以我没有力气对儿子批评,反而因为自己的疲惫,只是说孩子,我知道你也对结果失望,可是对不起,妈妈也帮不到你更多,妈妈自己也很迷茫,觉得自己什么都做不好,以后更多时候你还是需要靠自己。没想到孩子十分感动,晚上回去给我写了下面这封信:
中文翻译(英文原文附在文尾)
嘿,老妈,
我希望你别把这封信当作道歉信来看,因为它真诚的不是道歉,而是致谢,或者更确切的说是反省。
我特别注意到今天回家路上在车里你跟我说的那些话,你说了很多,而且很明显你很失望,(再说一次噢,这不是道歉或者表达愧疚),然后你问我,是不是觉得有点失望。我的第一反应是“我妈接下来还要说。。。”,就象我预测的一样,你接下来就说“你是不是有点难过啊?”可是下一句却让我很吃惊(如果不是震惊的话),你向我道歉。妈妈,对比以前的你,我觉得这些话是多么有力的证明,(就象那天我的化学考试成绩56/57拿回来那天一样),这些都在证明你的努力,变化,进步。
如果我说得不对,请你纠正我,可是在过去的一段时间里,你曾经是易怒的,急躁的,常常觉得沮丧。假想一下,今天的事情发生在两年前,你最可能对我说的是,“如果你觉得失望难过,那都是你自己不够努力造成的!”当然,今天的你仍然可能会有同样的想法,(其实我也觉得是啦),可是你今天的言语却更能让我觉得对我的情绪,态度有积极的帮助。这是天差地别的改变。
总的来说,我是想对你为我做的一系列的事情致谢。谢谢你在我的学业上支持我,谢谢你让我知道我的努力你都欣赏,谢谢你在我足球比赛失利后的安慰,而实际上,最大的感谢是你每天晚上尽力为我们呈上的丰盛晚餐。如果要把你亲手为我做的每一件事情都列举出来,我写一晚上也写不完 – 我想,也许应该发个金牌或者类似的奖励才能表达。
你们告诉我,我这学期以来的努力家里每个人都看到了(唔,最近好像又有点儿滑落),好吧,我想说的是,你的努力也没有白费,我都看见了。其实,坦白说,我都不知道你怎么能做到的,当你的左手是个情绪化的,麻烦的青春期女儿,右边是个固执懒惰粗心大意的儿子,你除了每天创造奇迹也没有什么别的选择。如果我是你,两年前我就趴下了。这是我特别要告诉你,你值得嘉奖的一件事(当然只是我没有列举出来的无数件中的一件了。)
当然,写了这封信,也不能把我的微积分成绩提高到95 或者化学试验报告变成97分,可是象我一开始就说的,这不是道歉信,这也不是我逃避问题的方法(顺便说一下,我觉得我有时候还是会逃避问题,所以我可能还需要你们的帮助纠正这个),这封信不是为了帮助我,这封信的唯一意义和目的是为了让你知道你所做的一切,我有多感激。每天你都应当被感谢,有时候我应当表达却没有表达我的谢意,我意识到你没有得到你辛苦为家庭忙碌而理应受到的感激。所以现在我要谢谢你,真心的。老妈,从现在起,我会更努力的,因为这是你应当得到的回报。谢谢你,老妈,你是世界上最好的。(好吧,我应该说最好的妈,因为最好的爹这个称号还是应当给你的老公。:))
爱你的儿子
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妈妈总结:其实孩子们是需要赞美需要肯定的 尤其是在青春期自我认知的阶段,爱和鼓励比什么都重要。当她们确定自己是被爱着的时候,他们就不会太悲观,不会太差。
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我的回复:
@Meggie 你儿子的信太感人了!有这么个贴心有感恩心的儿子,作妈妈的太幸福了!真是由衷地感谢你无私地分享你儿子写给你的信,让我们认识到我们的态度对孩子的心灵有多大的影响力。
读了你儿子的信,感受很多。为什么很多我们认为对孩子将来有好处的所谓的”高标准严要求“对孩子影响往往与我们的期望事与愿违?反而一些貌似”无为“的放手、信任和鼓励成为了孩子积极上进的动力?
有些朋友的孩子在青春期也给父母无数的苦恼,甚至有家长说“我怎么会有这样一个没良心的孩子!" 但他们的孩子在大学或大学毕业后,都成长为是非常懂事的年轻人。
我正在读”Brainstorm - The Power And Purpose of the Teenage Brain" 这本书。作者Dr. Daniel Siegel is clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Daniel Siegel 与有些讲青春期孩子的书不同,他不是告诉家长怎样艰苦地熬过孩子青春期这段”苦恼”的日子,相反,他认为孩子在青春期的一些表现是一个人从孩子走向成人蜕变的过程,是一个开始有独立思考能力并努力将其思想付诸于行动的过程,他们标新立异、思想活跃、喜欢冒险、勇于尝试和创新,这些特点对于一个人是否能在离开家走向独立生活有着非常重要的意义。当然他们的大脑还未发育成熟,他们容易情绪波动、考虑问题有欠周全、自控力尚在发展中,所以他们需要家长的引导和帮助。
思维改变态度,态度改变行为。对我13岁的儿子有时表现出的”我不需要事事听你的”这种态度,我第一反应当然有点小小的不快,但再仔细想想,又感到挺高兴的。哈哈,当感情与理性打架的时候,最终还是理性占上峰。很多在家长眼中的青春期孩子的“问题”往往来自于文化、年龄的差异,以及对孩子青春期生长的科学知识缺乏了解。伴随着孩子青春期的很多问题其实不会对孩子的今后造成很大的问题,反而家长过于负面的强势地处理青春期孩子的问题也许会对孩子造成比问题本身更大的更长远的伤害。
为了孩子好,我们时常亲力亲为地帮孩子、督促孩子,像直升飞机式的老在他们上面盘旋、担心他们误入歧途、想在他们稍微偏离轨道的第一时间去营救他们,殊不知我们这种担心和焦虑反而阻碍了孩子积极健康向上的成长,他们需要的是成长的空间和心灵的滋养。
英文原文
Hey Mom,
I hope this message doesn't serve as an apology, because it sincerely isn't. Rather, it is a thank you letter, and to an extent, a review.
One thing I specifically noticed today was what you had said to me on the car. You told me a bunch of stuff that clearly disappointed me (once again, this is not an apology or a guilt letter), and you asked me if I was disappointed. The first thought that came to mind was the next words you might say. As I predicted, you asked if I was sad because of what you said. But the next few words surprised, if not shocked, me. You apologized. With all due respect to the mom you have been before, I saw these words as evidence (in the exact same light you say my 56/57 in chemistry); I saw it as proof of work, of change, of improvement.
Correct me if I am wrong, but you have been quite short tempered in the past, quite easily frustrated. Usually, if this had been two years ago, you would have said to me that the reason I am disappointed is due to my own fault. And while you may still believe that (even I believe it), you said words that would be helpful to my morale, to my attitude. That's definitely different from what you would have said a certain time ago.
In general now, I would like to thank you for a whole variety of things that you do. Thank you for supporting me in this academic journey, thank you for letting me know that my efforts are appreciated, thank you for comforting me after soccer games that I lose, and in fact, thank you for putting a different meal on the table every single night. I could type for the rest of the day and not be able to list every miracle that I have seen performed with your very hands. That in itself, I think, is worthy of a gold medal or award of some sort.
I've been told that everyone in the family has noticed my hard work (despite my recent drop in marks) and I want you to know your efforts have not been in vain either. I mean, to be honest, when you have a troubled, moody, and depressed daughter to your left and a stubborn, lazy, and careless son on your right, you have no choice but to create miracles every day. I know that if I were in your spot, I would've broken down years ago. So that's another thing (one of many that are not written here) that you deserve to be recognized for.
This letter isn't going to bring my low calculus marks up to 95, or my lab to a 97, but as I stated in the beginning, this isn't an apology letter, this isn't an escape route (by the way, I think I'm still using those so I might need help), and this isn't a letter to help me; this letter's sole purpose of creation was to tell you that you are appreciated. You deserve to be thanked every day, and while I don't, I should. I mean, I noticed you don't receive the credit that you earned, as often as you should around your house. So yeah, thanks mom, I really mean it. I'm going to be working harder now, because you're owed something you have yet to get. Thanks mom, you're the best :). (Well, best mom. The best dad still goes to your husband)
Love,
Your son